A.A. Guidelines
®
Carrying the A.A. Message
to the Deaf Alcoholic
from G.S.O., Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163
A.A. Guidelines are compiled from the shared experience of A.A. members in various service areas. They also reflect guidance
given through the Twelve Traditions and the General Service Conference (U.S. and Canada). In keeping with our Tradition of
autonomy, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole, most decisions are made by the group conscience of the
members involved. The purpose of these Guidelines is to assist in reaching an informed group conscience.
CARRYING THE MESSAGE TO DEAF ALCOHOLICS
One A.A. member reminded us that, in carrying the message to the
deaf alcoholic, “Try not to treat them as different or special, but allow
them freedom to participate in a typical A.A. meeting.”
The main thing to remember is that deaf alcoholics have the same problem as anyone else. While we and they may come up with a thousand
reasons why they are different, let’s emphasize over and over “Don’t
drink; Keep coming back.”
For the purpose of these guidelines we will use the term “deaf.” There
are other people who are hard of hearing, either permanently or
temporarily. People who are deaf or hard of hearing are all unique,
and there is a variety of ways to communicate with them: sign language, speechreading, writing, typing, and TTY (Teletypewriter or Text
Telephone), for example.
Often, sign language is the most effective way to communicate, and many
groups use sign language interpreters to help carry the message to deaf
members. In a pinch, you can try writing back and forth. But keep in mind
that English is not the first language of many deaf people—sign language
is! So, whenever possible, use sign language—either directly or through
an interpreter. If you do have to write, keep it simple and brief. Encourage
the newcomer to take A.A. Iiterature and invite them to come to another
meeting. A smile, a handshake and a cup of coffee speak “the language of
the heart,” which we can all hear.
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
If there is a need for an interpreter try to arrange to have a sign language interpreter at the meetings that deaf alcoholics attend. The deaf
member may be able to bring an interpreter. If not, try to make arrangements through a local agency or check with your local special needs
committee, intergroup or central office, general service district or area
committee to see if they have any experience with the situation.
Qualified interpreters are professionals who charge fees for their services. Experience suggests that most groups will agree to having a nonA.A. attend its closed meetings to act as interpreter for the deaf alcoholic.
Professional American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters adhere to a strict
code of ethics, which assures the confidentiality of the A.A. meeting.
Some A.A. groups cover this expense. Sometimes an agency will take
care of the expense. On occasion, local area committees, districts,
and central/intergroup offices have authorized payment for interpreters. Professional interpreters who are also A.A. members sometimes
are willing to volunteer their services. Occasionally advanced students
of interpreting will do the job at no fee for the experience gained. Be
careful of placing too much reliance on volunteers, as deaf members
rely on these services and there should be stability in whether the
meeting is consistently interpreted or not.
Experience shared with G.S.O. indicates that numerous areas have
formed Special Needs Committees. Individual A.A. members or groups
may wish to contact their area Special Needs committee for shared
experience in reaching out to deaf alcoholics in their A.A. community.
It appears that finding ASL interpreters is a continuing challenge at all
levels of service.
Whatever arrangements are made should be based on a group conscience decision arrived at after full discussion at a business meeting. Is
the group willing to cover the expense of this service, or does it wish to
appoint someone to contact the central office or a professional agency
about providing an interpreter? In order to welcome the deaf person
and the interpreter and make the newcomer feel that he or she is an
important addition to the group, it is important that a full consensus
on these points be reached in advance. The interpreters should be
introduced to the group before meetings.
Initially it may be difficult to convey feelings through another person,
so try to communicate as directly as possible. It is important to have
the deaf person’s attention before speaking. He or she may need a
wave of the hand, a tap on the shoulder or some sort of signal that
you wish to communicate. Many deaf people have some training or
experience in speechreading (also known as lipreading). However, this
varies widely with individuals. Effective speechreading also requires
very specific conditions: the speaker should not be chewing gum or eating, should not have an accent or a mustache, and there should be no
back lighting. If a deaf person indicates that he or she can speechread,
try to follow these guidelines. Also, speak slowly and clearly, but don’t
exaggerate. Look directly at the person while speaking.
If you are called on to read something while an interpreter is signing,
read slowly and clearly. Try to furnish the interpreter with the text beforehand, as formal writing is more difficult to interpret quickly.
OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
More and more dedicated A.A. members are committing themselves
to learning sign language in order to be more effective in communicating with the deaf A.A. member. Some become proficient and are able
to work with the deaf alcoholic as sponsors. Others learn enough to
greet and encourage the member to keep coming back. Those A.A.
members who do not know sign language can still communicate with
our deaf friends by telephone. Some deaf people have TTY equipment
which allows them to communicate not only with those with similar
devices, but with the aid of a Telephone Relay Systems operator,
they can communicate with anyone. Information on this service can
be found in the front section of your phone book under “Services for
People With Disabilities.” Give the deaf newcomer the same care and
concern that we would a hearing newcomer. If there is a Twelfth Step
call to be made, it is not necessary that both members be able to sign.
We must remember that our A.A. experience is the most important
thing we have to share.
ce people also make presentations about A.A. and available services
to these types of conferences and professional meetings.
Many area, district and intergroup/central office newsletters publish
information about groups for the deaf. Meeting lists should note which
meetings are interpreted.
A.A. EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
SHARING BY MAIL AND ONLINE
If the deaf alcoholic is comfortable reading and writing in English, the
Loners/Internationalists `(LIM) correspondence service is one way for
deaf alcoholics to share their experience, strength and hope with other
alcoholics. Some deaf members who communicate in English actively
participate in online A.A. meetings. One source for online A.A. meeting information is the Online Intergroup of A.A. (www.aa-intergroup.
org). For deaf alcoholics who have computers with cameras and highspeed Internet connections, there are face-to-face ASL A.A. meetings.
Further information about the latter can be obtained by contacting the
Special Needs desk at your G.S.O.
A.A. MATERIAL FOR DEAF ALCOHOLICS
The catalog of A.A. material lists a wide range of literature and audiovisual material for deaf alcoholics and sign language interpreters.
Some A.A. literature cited as being most helpful for deaf alcoholics
includes: “Twelve Traditions Illustrated,” “Twelve Steps Illustrated,” “Is
A.A. for Me?,” “It Happened to Alice,” “What Happened to Joe?,” and the
A.A. Grapevine magazine. In addition, the following material has been
rewritten for reading and signing: “Twelve Steps,” “Twelve Traditions,”
“A Brief Guide to A.A.,” “A Deaf Newcomer Asks,” “Is A.A. for You?,” “Is
A.A. for Me?,” “Do You Think You’re Different,” “How It Works,” “This Is
A.A.,” “A Newcomer Asks,” and The Serenity Prayer.
Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions and the pamphlet “A.A. for the Alcoholic with Special Needs”
are available in ASL (American Sign Language) on DVDs.
In addition, the “Young People’s Videos,” “Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous,”
and a selection of other A.A. videos, as well as the Conference-approved
A.A. public service announcements, are closed-captioned for the deaf.
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND COOPERATION WITH
THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY COMMITTEES
Based on the response G.S.O. received from the professional agencies we contacted, we encourage local P.l. and C.P.C. committees to
contact agencies for deaf people (often part of local agencies for the
handicapped) and offer to put on an open A.A. meeting or a Public
Information meeting about Alcoholics Anonymous; also, to let them
know about the A.A. resources available.
Another project that has been suggested for P.l. committees is to take
an A.A. meeting to schools for deaf people and/or provide information
and material about A.A. to such schools.
Often, local C.P.C. committees will exhibit A.A. Iiterature at conferences which are focused on services for deaf people. Some C.P.C. servi-
Deaf A.A. members may need a few special considerations when attending an A.A. event. For those who have a fair amount of hearing
and/or who read lips, seating near the speaker may be all that is required. Others who are deaf may require the use of a sign language interpreter. Here are some points to consider when planning a conference
or meeting that will be attended by deaf A.A.s.
• Reserve interpreters well ahead of time because they are in great demand.
• Budget the interpreting expenses. Find out early what the estimated
cost will be, whether by the hour or by the day. If you are holding concurrent workshops, you may need more than one interpreter. If your
event is small (and short) you may be fortunate to find a qualified volunteer, but do not expect to rely on volunteers.
• In designating preferred seating for deaf members, cordon off the
reserved area and clearly indicate “Please reserve for deaf members,”
and ask that people refrain from walking in front of the section as
it will cause the deaf members to be cut off from the speaker and
the interpreter.
• Sensitize workshop leaders and meeting chairpersons to the use of
the interpreter. In this way, those members who depend on the interpreter will not be deprived of opening remarks or keynote speakers.
• Stick with your plans once you have announced that an event is to be
interpreted. Deaf people are very likely to travel far for the few events that
are interpreted. If the event has concurrent meetings and workshops, plan
for the availability of at least one interpreter per time block. Ask the deaf
participants at the outset which workshops they plan to attend.
• If you are listing the event with the General Service Office, your local
intergroup/central office or in any A.A. publication, specify that it is sign
language interpreted. If possible, have a TTY number that deaf people
can call for more information.
CONCLUSION
A G.S.O. staff member who serves on the Special NeedsAccessibilities assignment is available as a resource and facilitates
communication among local Special Needs Committees. They ensure
that inquiries from and about deaf alcoholics are given the proper information and are referred to the local A.A. committee for further action.
You can contact the Special Needs-Accessibilities desk at G.S.O. by
calling (212)870-3400 or e-mailing specialneeds@aa.org.
For information on TTY equipment please check the Central Offices/
lntergroup Directory, which indicates those central offices with these
special machines.
We encourage you to keep us informed of your experience in trying
to carry the message to deaf alcoholics, so that we can continue to
improve our services in this area. We look forward to hearing from you,
and wish you good luck in carrying the message to the deaf alcoholic
www.aa.org
5M - 09/15 (GP) -Revised 5/14-
MG-13